Title: ラブシャッフル
Title (English): Love Shuffle (Rabu Shaffuru)
Format: Renzoku
Genre: Romance, comedy
Episodes: 10
Viewership rating: 8.7 (Kanto)
Broadcast network: TBS
Broadcast period: 2009-Jan-16 to 2009-Mar-20
Air time: Friday 22:00
Theme songs:
Main theme: Fantasy by Earth, Wind & Fire
Insert song: Eternal Flame by The Bangles
Synopsis
Usami Kei is a salaryman who has risen in status due to his engagement with Mei, the wealthy daughter of his company's president. Shortly after she breaks off the engagement, a power failure leaves him stuck in the elevator of his apartment building. Trapped with him are three others living on the same floor - Airu, a trilingual interpreter, Ojiro, a model photographer, and Masato, a psychiatrist. While waiting, their conversation hits upon their love lives and the question of whether there is truly only one fated partner for everyone. As a result, they decide to try "shuffling" their relationships with each other. --Tokyograph
Cast
Tamaki Hiroshi as Usami Kei
Karina as Aizawa Airu
Matsuda Shota as Sera Ojiro
DAIGO as Oishi Yukichi
Yoshitaka Yuriko as Hayakawa Kairi
Kojima Hijiri as Kamijyo Reiko
Kanjiya Shihori as Kagawa Mei
Tanihara Shosuke as Kikuta Masato
****
I am rewatching this drama jewel for the third time and enjoying every minute of it once again. Although it isn't a new drama, I think it deserves a discussion thread.
The cast is simply wonderful, and the idea brilliant. Because I know the plot already, I can concentrate on little details, like the dozens of meta-references scattered in the witty, fast-paced dialogues. At times they are hard for non-Japanese to catch, since they refer to word puns and Japanese shows, but the subbers/translators did a wonderful job in explaining most of those in the subs.
The incredible alchemy between the characters shines literally out of the screen, and I'm laughing out loud at some scenes, no matter how many times I've watched them. There's no doubt in my mind that this is one of the cleverest dramas I've ever watched. As a matter of fact, I went back to my list and changed my previous 9 into a 10 (I don't know why I didn't do it sooner).
Does anyone want to join in the Club of Shuffle Enthusiasts? :D